By JACK LeGWIN
Suwannee, Ga.– No one stood out more in the 15U division at the Nike Memorial Day Classic than Ian Steere.
At 6-foot-8 225 pounds, Steere has freakish athleticism. But he says that over the course of the past couple months, he has worked hard to show that he is more than just an athlete.
“When people saw me when I first got out there, they thought that I was a true big man,” Steere told SNY.tv. “I’m trying to show that I can be more versatile and I can do more than just dunk the ball. I’m trying to be that all around player.”
Steere started playing basketball full time last year, and started for Carlisle School most of the year on a team that went 22-13 against some of the best competition in the country. He is currently playing with the CP3 All Stars alongside Will Dillard, John Newman and Tre Turner.
“When I started getting taller, my dad suggested playing only basketball,” Steere said. “So last year I started playing basketball full time. In eighth grade, I was 6-foot-4, and my freshman year I got to 6-foot 7.”
Steere is projected to be 6-foot-10 to 6-foot-11, and he says that the work ethic of his father, who is a former body builder has helped him to become the player he is today, and will only help him to continue to improve in the future.
“He’s my number one fan,” Steere said. “He pushes me a lot, and I really appreciate that, because I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it weren’t for him.”
Steere currently has an offer from Charlotte, and interest from NC State, Clemson, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Clemson, Georgetown, Stanford, Virginia and Virginia Tech, but Steere says that, being from North Carolina, UNC has been his favorite for a while.
“Yeah always,” Steere said. “Tar Heel for life.”
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